Hear me
by Shadeless
Summary: If your life was taken from you, would you be able to create a new one? This is Melodys story; set in the Hells Angels-verse
1. Chapter 1

Hear me

By Shadeless

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformer characters etc., I don't intend to harm copyright

Melody was created by Lureae (read her story 'What he did not see', it's awesome), she was so kind to let me borrow her

Rating: M

Warnings: will contain femslash and sexual situations

Comments:

Flames will be use to cook my dinner. Don't like, don't read.

However, I'm open for constructive criticism

If you detect any mistakes, please tell me… Also, I haven't seen the TV series (unfortunately), spoiler-warnings are welcome.

_Thoughts_

"Talking"

Chapter 1

She got online with a start, light blinding her.

For a moment her mind was blank, enveloped in peaceful nothingness.

Then her sensors kicked in.

Pain, white and hot, seared through her throat as blinding as the light had been.

She screamed.

After an eternity the pain became bearable. Her programming must have dimmed the sensors automatically.

Her body felt shattered, moving was dismissed without trying.

Regaining the ability to process she felt disturbed by something that she couldn't pinpoint.

"She's awake," a voice said. It sounded tired.

"I'll look after her. Go and get a proper recharge cycle, you need it."

A sigh. "I hate to admit it but you are right. She needs someone with all logic circuits on full power." A door swished open, footsteps indicated that someone was leaving.

Another sigh. The other person moved in her direction. Then a face got into the range of her optic sensors.

"Don't worry, you are save here. No one is going to hurt you."

She wanted to reply but nothing happened. Confusion must have been written on her faceplates because the mechs face showed sympathy.

Lowering his voice, he said: "Your vocal processors were damaged badly, like the rest of your body. I'm sorry but we could do nothing about it."

He said something more but she couldn't hear him. It felt as if a weight had been dropped on her chest. Panic and suppressed pain offlined her, she didn't see his optics widen with fear, didn't hear him shouting for somebody she hadn't realized was in the room.

All she could comprehend was one thought.

_I will never sing again._

And darkness closed around her.


	2. Chapter 2

Hear me

By Shadeless

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformer characters etc., I don't intend to harm copyright

Melody was created by Lureae (read her story 'What he did not see', it's awesome), she was so kind to let me borrow her

Rating: M

Warnings: will contain femslash and sexual situations

Comments:

Flames will be use to cook my dinner. Don't like, don't read.

However, I'm open for constructive criticism

If you detect any mistakes, please tell me… Also, I haven't seen the TV series (unfortunately), spoiler-warnings are welcome.

_Thoughts_

"Talking"

Chapter 2

"To the pit with it! Fragging sons of…"

The CMO was welcomed by the curses of his best medic when he stepped into the med bay. Eyeing the younger mech defeatedly, he approached him. "She offlined again?"

The younger ones shoulders slumped as he sighed.

"Yes, as soon as she realised her vocals are scrap."

The CMO looked at their patient.

_Four times. She has crashed her systems four times about it now._

Aloud he said: "Ratchet…"

"No! We are not giving her up! **I** am not giving her up!" The anger was back.

The older mech didn't seem surprised by the sudden change of attitude.

_No, he won't give up. He's too damned determined for that. Well, he wouldn't be my best if he wasn't._

"I'll get her back on her slagging feet even if I have to **drag** her out of the matrix! Do you hear me Meridian?!"

Meridian sighed. He seemed to do that a lot lately. Since he had been introduced to his best apprentice to be exact.

"Yes, Ratchet, I hear you. No need to damage my audio sensors, thank you very much", was the deadpan and overheard reply.

Meridian was known as peace maker, as one of the patient mechs in existence.

"She is **not** going to commit self-deactivation, not if I can prevent it!"

Ratchet was not. After being stationed for only four weeks on the base he wasn't only famous for mending the worst injuries but also for his temper, vocabulary and habits. Like throwing heavy objects. One ability that was flawless as well as deadly, apart from his choice of weapons, was, if one believed the gossip, his **aim**. He was told to have nailed Wheeljack over a distance of ten paces after his latest _problem_ with his inventions.

_No wonder he got that nickname. Ratchet the Hatchet. Well, it suits him well enough._

The CMO was disturbed in his musings by being addressed by a now calmer but nonetheless agitated Ratchet.

"If I could save her short-time store of being deleted, maybe she would get accustomed to the knowledge while being offline…"

Meridians eyed his apprentice thoughtfully.

"Yes… That's a good idea. If we could stop the current pulse of the shock before it reaches this memory…"


	3. Chapter 3

Hear me

By Shadeless

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformer characters etc., I don't intend to harm copyright

Melody was created by Lureae (read her story 'What he did not see', it's awesome), she was so kind to let me borrow her

Rating: M

Warnings: will contain femslash and sexual situations

Comments:

Flames will be use to cook my dinner. Don't like, don't read.

However, I'm open for constructive criticism

If you detect any mistakes, please tell me… Also, I haven't seen the TV series (unfortunately), spoiler-warnings are welcome.

_Thoughts_

"Talking"

°Writing°

Chapter 3

She onlined her optics. Her body felt heavy but not painfully so. Unlike the last time…

_Last time?_

Then she remembered. The sheer **agony** of the revelation hit her. And threatened to overwhealm her. Again.

_My voice…_

She couldn't recall how long she laid there, trying to comprehend that simple fact.

She was mute.

The pain making her spark clench subsided slowly and left emptiness behind. Somehow she managed to gain the will to sit up. Her optics fell upon a young mech half lying on the table deep in recharge. It didn't look very comfortable.

She moved her legs to try and stand up. The moment her feet touched the floor he woke up. For a second he stared at her, seemingly dumbstruck.

"You are awake… It worked…"

She didn't know what to make of that. As she wanted to ask **what** had worked it struck her again. Offlining her optics, trying to compose herself, she didn't notice that he shot up, out of the chair, grabing her shoulders almost painfully.

When she became aware off her surroundings again, she looked at him.

"No, not again, not after you came so far!" He seemed desperate.

_What again?_ Her unspoken question must have been understood as he let go of her, stepping back.

"You… your systems crashed… five times. I was afraid your CPU had already been damaged when it took longer for you to awake after the last time…"

_What… What happeneed to me?_

She tried to convey her message to him with her optics. After looking at her concentratedly for a few moments, he turned and started searching for something. He came back with a holopad and a pen. She took them thankfully and started to write.

°What happened?°

"Don't you remember? Do you know who you are?"

She paused.

°I am Melody.°

"Yes, that's correct. What is the last thing you remember?"

--Flashback--

"Melody! Come on, we're gonna be late!"

She sat in a small room with dimmed lights. Hearing the voice she turned to the door and got up.

"I'm ready, I'm ready! No need to overheat your systems, Jazz!"

She stepped out of the room, into a short hallway. Following the sounds of chatting and the occasional laugh, she stepped onto the stage. The curtain was still closed.

Her optics fell upon her bandmates Harmony, Thunderstorm, Lightningflash and Jazz, who were getting ready for their performance. She joined them for a last minute check of her own equipment.

* * *

A loud crash caused her to stop singing.

"Great. They can't even keep their hatred at bay for a **single** night. And that on neutral territory," grumbled Lightningflash.

Looking at the source of the disturbance she couldn't help but agree.

The middle of the saloon looked like a warzone.

The fighting factions were easily distinguishable, Autobots and Decepticons emblems highlighted on bulky armour.

Thunderstorm snorted. "I'll get the security."

* * *

The hinges protested softly when Harmony opened the door. Stepping out of the building and into the night, she streched and groaned when her body imitated the sound.

Lightningflash laughed and started to tease her.

"Getting rusty on your old days, eh?"

"Oh, shut it 'Flash!", Harmony shot back, the familiarity of friendly bickering taking the edge off her words.

Thunderstorm snickered softly and followed them as they started walking towards the main street.

Melody stopped in the doorway, smiling faintly. Her sparkling friends, her family. How good it felt to see them so carefree and playfull… A hand was laid gently on her shoulder.

"You worry too much Mel'. 'S long as we have each other everything's fine. We'll travel and do our thing, like we always have, war be damned."

She looked at the last one of their gang, still smiling gently.

"Thanks Jazz."

She turned to follow the other three, Jazz only a step behind her. The door closed.

Watching her friends, who had reached a corner a few metres ahead, fool around they walked in silence.

She grew alert when Harmony stopped dead in her tracks. Thunderstorm and Lightningflash moved in front of her as if they wanted to shield her.

Melody felt Jazz presence beside her as she moved faster.

Lightningflashs voice rang through the empty street: "What do you want?!"

Then she saw them. Her optics widened.

_Decepticons… Wait, are those the ones we threw out?_

Her spark fluttered with dread.

And they attacked.

A wave of missiles and bullets aimed at Lightningflash and Thunderstorm connected with enough force to send them flying.

Right into Harmony.

They crashed into the wall of a building.

Melody ran towards her friends, danger forgotten. She had almost reached them when a fist hit her abdomen.

She stumbled back and fell, looking up only to see Jazz being hit in the chest, landing somewhere behind her.

The last thing she saw were the projectiles aimed at them as she willed her body to get up and threw herself in front of him.

-- End Flashback--

The med bay was silent, the soft clicking of machines the only sound.

She couldn't look at the medic.

Her hands shook as she tried to write. Ask the question she didn't want to be answered. **Knowing** the answer.

°Did…Are they…°

A hand on her shoulder.

--You worry too much Mel'.--

She wanted to scream, cry out,

"Your friends…"

fall offline again,

"they…"

just to avoid the answer. The truth.

Of what she had seen…

When she had **almost** reached them…

"didn't make it. Only Jazz survived."

The emptyness almost suffocated her.

_No. Jazz lives. I must be strong. _

"I'm sorry." His voice was a pained whisper. "You saved him, you know? The hit he took damaged the panel over his spark chamber. A second one would have driven the bended metal right into his spark chasing. By shielding him, you prolonged his live enough so our soldiers could bring him here after fending off the Decepticons."

°Is he OK?°

"Yes, he's fine. Not online yet, but stable. Because he was damaged in such a awkward area, we only closed the major wounds, leaving the rest to his repair systems."

°I need to be alone now.°

He hesitated.

°Please.°

Taking a long look at her, his optics dimmed and he turned.

"Just press the button on the underside of the table if you need anything. OK?"

He sounded different. Calm, collected. Gruff even.

But the OK gave him away. Being a singer she knew all the facettes of a voice…

_Having been._

The thought suddenly didn't hurt anymore.

Or it simply hurt less than…

She didn't notice him leaving the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Hear me

By Shadeless

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformer characters etc., I don't intend to harm copyright

Melody was created by Lureae (read her story 'What he did not see', it's awesome), she was so kind to let me borrow her

Thoughts

"Talking"

°Writing°

Chapter 4

Sitting on the repair table, she relived her memories, hunting her data stores for every moment spent with her friends. When there was nothing more to find, she returned to their last night together.

If she had told them about her worries…

If she had insisted on them being escorted back to the hotel…

Her tormented thoughts were interrupted by voices in the hallway outside.

They came closer.

"…I swear I didn't mean to! It's not as if I **enjoy** it! Look, I'll just get inside, you'll piece me back together and everything's…"

The door opened to reveal a mech.

A very singed and ruffled looking mech.

He carried something with his right hand. As he gestured with it, it turned out to be an arm. It seemed to be his own.

Melody felt her optics go wide.

She stopped staring at the newcomer when Ratchet rushed into the med bay.

He looked ready to kill.

"Wheeljack! You can't just storm into this room! It's a med bay for Primus sake!! I currently have a patient with fragile state of mind!!"

"Err… Ratchet… if that patient's so fragile… shouldn't you stop yelling?"

Ratchet froze in mid-rant. For a second his expression clearly translated -oh **slag**-.

Then he recovered. Making a (failing) attempt to straighten his face, he looked for Melody.

"Eh… hi Melody…", he said sounding sheepishly.

She couldn't help it. Clutching her chest she broke into soundless laughter.

They bicker just like 'Flash and…

Her laughter stopped as apruptly as it had come.

Silence reigned the med bay.

"You OK?"

She hadn't been aware of the half-scrapped mech approaching her. She lifted her optics and took in his appearance.

And **he** worried about **her**.

She grabbed her holopad. After hesitating shortly, she let her fans give the impression of a sigh and started to write.

°I'll be fine. Sometime.°

"You sure?"

°You look like slag.°

He seemed surprised.

"What do you mean?"

She gave him a deadpan look. Then pointed at the loose arm.

His eyes followed the movement.

"Oh, that." He sounded like he hadn't noticed it at all. "I'm used to it."

She shifted her optics to Ratchet without changing her facial expression.

°And I'm mentaly unstable?°

The medic facepalmed.

"I'm too tired for this…,"he muttered.

-

Wheeljack seemed to be a very social bot.

"So, your name's Melody. Nice one. You are in Iacon, Autobots main base, you know. I'm Wheeljack. And you seem to know Ratchet already." He leaned towards her and whispered: "Whenever he grabs something, optics burning brightly, get the **pit** away and don't turn around…"

She looked at him incredulously.

Ratchet prevented further pursuit of that topic.

"As you'll have guessed I'm a medic here. And Wheeljack is rumored to be an inventor and engineer," he cast his companion a glance, "though all **I** ever see is him blowing himself up."

°He blows himself up? You've got to be kidding me.°

A snort. "Wish I was."

°Shouldn't you repair him?° The look she gave him made him laugh.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm at it, no need to go all creator on me. Come on, Wheeljack, get on the desk over there."

A few ticks into the repair work Ratchet started to lecture his patient again. "… I mean you are supposed to be a fragging **genius**. What kind of genius gets his own aft slagged? On his own on top of it? I **swear**, if I hear **one more** lousy excuse as to why you are a limb short…"

Melody watched them melancholicaly. She read Ratchet like a book. It had been the same with herself so often. She, being the eldest (and most grown up) of their group, had always protected her 'siblings'. What had meant to bitch at them for being stupid while patching them up at times. The more pissed off she had been, the more she had been worried.

When Ratchet declared Wheeljack was in good working order ("…not thanks to yourself, you walking time bomb…") and had shooed him out, Melody approached him.

°Can I see him?°

"I was wondering when you would ask."

-

Jazz laid on a recharge bearth in a small room close to the med bay. She walked up to it, looking at her friend.

"Meridian thought it would be the best if he stayed here, in case of a battle, which would have turned the med bay in a war zone of its own.You weren't stable enough for a room."

Melody touched her brothers arm softly. Silently taking in the still visible marks of welding done to close his injuries, a new emotion made her spark burn.

She kissed her recharging friends head and left the room. In the hallway she adressed Ratchet.

°I want to fight.°

"Melody…"

Her shoulders tensed. °I want to fight.°

"I have to see Meridian about that…"

°Meridian?°

"The CMO. My superior."

°OK, then I'll wait. But I won't wait forever Ratchet.°

-

"She wants to join our ranks."

Silence.

"You **knew** she would want to, didn't you?"

"It was to be expected."

"You are planning something, I can tell…"

A pause.

"Spill it."

"She is… interesting."

"How so?"

"Did you get the latest report?"

"Which one?"

"The one informing you of the latest losses."

"Of course, why… You **can't** be **serious**!"

"For all I've heard she would be perfect."

"She isn't even a soldier!"

"Not yet."

"…"

"You knew we'd need a new one."

A sigh.

"Yes, but…"

"It's up to her."

"As if she would refuse."

"We will see."


	5. Chapter 5

Hear me

By Shadeless

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformer characters etc., I don't intend to harm copyright

Melody was created by Lureae (read her story 'What he did not see', it's awesome), she was so kind to let me borrow her

Rating: M

Warnings: will contain femslash and sexual situations

Comments:

Flames will be use to cook my dinner. Don't like, don't read.

However, I'm open for constructive criticism

If you detect any mistakes, please tell me… Also, I haven't seen the TV series (unfortunately), spoiler-warnings are welcome.

_Thoughts_

"Talking"

/Melody speaking/

°Writing°

Chapter 5

Melody felt her engine revving. She speeded towards her next target. Two orns after she had approached Ratchet, Meridian had come to tell her that her request had been granted. She had started to train as soon as her programming had been adjusted. Orns had trickeled by but Jazz had yet to awake.

She took down the target, the next already in sight, when her systems alerted her of an incoming message.

"Melody, get finished and come down for your last check up, OK?"

She flattened her target and took of towards the wash racks.

-

Having finished cleaning off the dust of the training field, Melody headed for the med bay. She stopped at a mirror, judging her appearance. She had changed.

Apart from the necessarily thicker plating Ratchet had installed as well as her battle computer and programming, there were still traces of the Decepticon attack her friends had died in.

Her golden paint-job was nearly extinguished and a few scars marred her face and her throat, espescially where her vocals had been. Wheeljack had offered her to make her a faceplate like his own but she had refused. To her, the remains of the damage done to her would always be a reminder of her lost friends. She wasn't about to hide this.

What she had been grateful for however was the thingamajig the engineer had invented, that currently half-covered her throat. It enabled her to communicate, though it wasn't a real voice as it used the Cybertronian alphabet to piece words together.

Narrowing her green optics, she left.

-

"OK, your vitals look fine, all new programms are cooperating with your CPU, servos in good working order…"

Meridian laughed at the other end of the room, sitting in his office with the door open. "Knock it off, Ratchet. You have checked everything. Twice."

Ratchet snarled. "I wanted to be sure."

"She isn't going to drop offline as soon as she leaves the med bay for her first mission, Ratch'."

"I **am** allowed to be worried…"

/You are doing great./

"Thanks Melody," he shot a glare at his mentor, "At least someone appreciates my efforts."

Meridian only laughed.

Their bickering was cut short when the door opened. The mech getting inside was impressing in a way Melody couldn't pinpoint. Something about him was off.

As soon as Ratchet saw him, he straightened a bit. "Sentinel Prime."

"Hello Ratchet. Is Meridian in? I have something to discuss wih him."

"Yes, he is in his office."

"Thank you. I don't think I've seen you before, have I?" he adressed Melody.

/No. I came here a little over nine orns ago./

His optics narrowed in thought. "You wouldn't be a survivor of the 'Con attack in Kashyr?"

/Yes, I am Melody./

"Nice to meet you Melody, I'm Sentinel Prime."

"Sentinel, did you want something?" Ratchet jumped slightly. None of them had noticed thet Meridian had approached them. Prime turned to lock optics with him.

"Yes, actually I wanted to speak to you."

Meridian seemed a bit troubled. Optics shifting to Melody and Ratchet for a breem, he said: "Could you wait for a few breems or does it require immediate attention? I have just been informed that the medical supplies have been delivered. I would like to have a look at them, to make sure everything has been taken care of."

Sentinel Prime nodded. "Of course. Do that, I'll wait for you."

Meridian took a last look at his leader, then turned. "What are you waiting for Ratchet? I'll need your assistance."

Ratchet gave Melody a nod and walked off after his mentor.

Finding herself alone with the Autobot leader, Melody grew slightly nervous. He cast her a look.

"No need to be intimidated, I'm not going to harm you."

/I am more concerned of making a fool of myself./

He laughed softly. "You are pretty honest."

-

The inspection had been uneventful. Getting back to the med bay Ratchet wondered why it had been more important than whatever the Prime had wanted.

As they reached their desination Meridian reached for the code panel and opened the door. The occupants of the room looked up. Sentinel had seated himself on a repair table next to Melodys. He turned back to her, obviously finishing his last sentence.

"Think about it."

Ratchet blinked. "About what?"

Prime smiled. "We were talking about her assingment. Normally a new recruit would be teamed up with others of his stage, but regarding her personality I think she is one of the few who can stand Ironhides eccentrics." His optics twinkled.

Ratchet gaped. "That trigger-happy aft-head? He is dangerous! Not to mention his missions."

Meridian snorted. "Watch your mouth Ratchet. And you are exaggerating. He isn't that bad, as are his teams missions. You're only ranting about him because he somehow manages to require repair-work twice a week, whether he's assigned missions or not."

Ratchet narrowed his optics. "His team lost a member only ten orns ago."

"Which is why they need someone new," Sentinel stated, "As I said it's up to Melody to decide. Meridian, do you have time now?"

"Of course, let's take this to my office."

They left a still fuming Ratchet and a quiet Melody behind. Suddenly something in the med bay started to beep.

Melody started. /What does that mean?/

Ratchet smiled, forgetting his anger. "It means that your friend is awake."

Melody bolted out of the med bay.

-

She found him sitting on his berth.

/Hey./

His optics darted towards her. "Hello?"

/Jazz? Are you alright?/

"Mel'? 's that you?"

Her spark clenched. /Of course it is me. Have I changed that much?/

"No… Well, I wouldn't know…"

/What do you mean?/

"My optics are all blurry…"

"Slag." Ratchet had just erntered the room.

Melody looked at him, alarmed. /Ratchet, what is wrong?/

He approached Jazz and started examining his optics."We had hoped it would be repaired by his systems…"

/What?/

He sighed and stopped. "His optics were damaged. As optics are situated in a very delicate area, we couldn't have repaired them without doing further damage to other systems."

"My vision'll stay like this?" Jazz asked quietly.

Ratchet looked at him sympathetically. "Yes it will."

/Can't you do anything about it? Or Wheeljack?/ He helped me too.

Ratchets crossed his arms, narrowing his optics contemplatingly. "I hadn't thought about that. I bet he can piece something together. I'll go ask him." That said, he was out of the door.

"Mel'?"

/Yes?/

"Who **was** that?"

She smiled softly. That was Ratchet, he is a medic here.

"Here?"

/Autobot base./

"Oh…" He averted his optics. "What about the others?"

/Jazz… They…/

His door-wings shivered in distress.

/I am sorry, little brother./

"'S not your fault." He looked in her direction. "You're gonna fight, aren't ya?"

/Yes, I will./

He smiled softly. "Be careful, 'k?"

/Promise./

-

The door closed behind her. The room was scarcely furnished. A desk, two chairs, a few shelves. She approached the desk.

/I want to do it./

"Are you sure?"

/Yes. Just take care of Jazz for me./

"I will."


	6. Chapter 6

Hear me  
By Shadeless

I finally kicked my own ass into posting this. Sry it took so long.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Transformer characters etc., I don't intend to harm copyright

_Thoughts  
_"Talking"  
/Melody speaking/  
°Writing°  
-Transmission-

* * *

Chapter 6

They were walking towards the rec room.

"Of all mechs on this base it **had** to be Ironhide…"

She cast him a glance. /Is he really that bad?/

He sighed. "No, he's not… Has a spark of gold, the slagger. I just wish he wouldn't turn up in my med bay every two orns."

She grinned. /Get over it. I can look after myself./

"I'm not doubting that," he grimaced, "but that bot has a habit of getting into trouble."

/I am used to bossing around four siblings, don't forget that./ Her optics filled with sadness for a breem. Reaching their destination, they halted. „You ready?"

/Just open the fragging door already./ She was surprised by her own edginess. /Sorry./

"I'm not made of glass either, you know?" He seemed amused.

And the door opened.

The rec room was filled with mechs and femmes alike. Ratchet headed for a table at the other end of the room. It was occupied by a red mech and a blue femme. The femme noticed their approach but didn't alert her companion. Her optics twinkled with amusement.  
Ratchet stopped behind the mech who was obviously telling a story of some kind.

"… and then he fragging threw a **wrench** at me! And none of the little ones either!"

Melodys face-plates split with a grin. The mech paused and looked at the femme.

"He's standing right behind me isn't he?" He said with a whine in his voice. "And you saw him, too! You're my **team mate**… You're not supposed to **rat** on me…"

His companion started to laugh. "Sorry 'Hide, but you were begging for it."

Ironhide turned. "Look, Ratch, I didn't mean it, ya know… You didn't bring any wrenches did ya?" He shifted uneasily beneath the medics glare. Melody decided to save him.

/Hi, I am Melody. I was told to meet you for further information regarding my assignment to your team./ She said stepping forward. He blinked at her.

The sitting femme snorted. "You're a real ladies man 'Hide." She got up. "I'm Bullseye, sharp-shooter, and the eloquent fellow here is Ironhide. You're the poor newbie Sentinel talked into this? Good luck."

Melody chuckled soundlessly. /Thank you./

"Something wrong with your voice?" Bullseye seemed genuinely concerned.

/Slagged vocal emmiters and processors./

She flinched. "Nasty."

/Tell me about it./

Ratchet snickered. "Doesn't seem like you need me here. I'm off, see you later."

Melody smiled at him before turning back to her new team mates. Ironhide had gotten up and looked at the two femmes. "I'm doomed."

Bullseye laughed. "Let's see her to the training room for a little welcoming, shall we?"

* * *

As he heard the door slide open, Ratchet started without turning: "If it's not a matter of life or…" He froze. Then he cursed and rushed forwards.

A limbing Melody and Bullseye half-carried Ironhide into the room.

"What the frag **happened**?"

/Training./

"Training?!" He shot a death glare at Ironhide. "You are responsible for this?"

The red mech slumbed onto a repair table. "Don't give me that slag… They fragging ganged up on me…"

Bullseye snickered. "Your own fault, leaving your defences open like that." Ratchets eye-ringe twitched, his hand itching for a tool.

"You slagging, irresponsible products of glitching motherboards! I swear one of these days I'm going to reformate you into energon-suspensers! It's going to take **vorns** to righten this! What were you thinking? Oh, wait, I don't even I want to know it."

Ranting on, he went to get his tools, contemplating whether to throw them or repair his patients.

Ironhide chuckled softly, trying not to alert the medic. "But it was damn' fun, too. Until you two decided to kick my aft…" he cast his team mates an accusing glance. Taking a closer look at Melody, he noticing her staring thoughtfully at the floor.

"Cybertron to Melody. Anyone there?"

She blinked, startled. /Sorry, did you say something?/

"Are you sure the fight didn't damage some important circuit?"

She just smiled. /I am fine, just spacing out./

He was about to say something more, optic ringes furrowed, when Ratchet returned.

"Let's put you troublemakers back together… The sooner you're done, the sooner I'm rid of you…"

* * *

Being kicked out of the med bay about an orn later by a still grumbling Ratchet, they received a comm message. "Ironhide, you and your team are assigned patrol duty along the southern border. Morana out."

Ironhide groaned. "Gotta love that femme… way with words. And patrol duty on top of it…"

"You really shouldn't bitch about the officer placing the missions where anyone can hear you 'Hide. Maybe we'd get better ones if you wouldn't." Bullseye laughed. "And patrol isn't the worst choice, considering we have to break in a new team member. You up for it Mel'?"

/Anytime./

* * *

They had grabbed their equipment and rolled out. A few joors later and half the patrol covered their mission had been completely uneventful. Not being alowed to talk, as not to blow their cover, there was nothing to do than eyeing the surrounding rubble suspiciously.

Another joor gone by, Ironhide signaled them to stop. He locked optics with Bullseye, then crouched beside the track they had been following. Melody watched him, puzzled. Moving next to her other companion she looked at her questioningly. Bullseye spoke, her vocals turned down to being almost undetectable. "Do you hear anything?"

Melody cocked her head and strained her audios. Then she shook her head.

"Exactly." The sharp-shooter narrowed her optics and got her weapon ready soundlessly, gesturing for Melody to ready her energy-blade. "Stay close." They followed Ironhide.

* * *

When they caught up with him, he was studying something on the ground. "'Cons. Can't be to long ago. We should get back and…" Bullseye laid a hand on his shoulder. Everything was silent for a tick.

Suddenly he and the sharp-shooter moved, Bullseye taking Melody with her, an arm locked around her waist. Breems later the metallic structures behind them exploded.

Bullseye cursed, stealth forgotten. She onlined her comm. "'Hide, forget about radio silence. How many did your sensors detect?"

His voice crackled through the link. "At least three."

They skitted to a halt, the sharp-shooter still supporting Melody. "I need to see them to get a proper shot."

"That can be arranged Autobot." Bullseye spun around, barely evading the hit aimed at her. Letting go of Melody, she used the momentum to get both of them out of the range of the next attack, taking aim and firing in one fluid movement. Her shot connected, their enemy stumbled slightly.

Meanwhile Melody had regained her balance, battle computer processing on high-speed. A movement picked up by her sensors made her spin around without thought.

Bullseyes eyes widened, when she saw her companion fly towards her, blade at the ready. "What…" The energy-weapon missed her by inches.

And connected.

A screeching sound stopping suddenly, accompanied by a gush of oil and energon running down Melodys arms told her all she needed to know. Green optics burning, the femme freed her weapon.

"Watch out." They jumped out of the way as their first enemy, having recovered, jumped at them. Missing his targets, he growled angrily, going after Melody. Evading the swings of his massive fists, she tried to find a gap in his defence. Concentrating further as she found none, she failed to notice his change in pattern. His hand hit her chassis, making her CPU ring. She willed her circuits to work, only to find herself beneath him, fists raised for the final strike. _Oh slag. _To close to get away.

He grinned. And froze when a howl sounded from behind him. His figure jerked once before his optics dimmed to black.

Vents cycling from exertion, Melody tried to process what had happened. Footsteps approached her and Bullseye came into sight. "That was close." She helped her team mate up. What?

"Look at his back."

As she circled the deactivated Decepticon, Melodys optics widened. In his back-platting was a hole, burned through to what had had to have been his spark chamber.

"I reserve that shot for emergencies. It isn't ready as fast as a normal one, but you see the assets."

Melody nodded, her mouth dry.

Ironhides voice made them jump. "I could use some help here!" He sounded strained. Without a second thought they rushed towards his coordinates.

* * *

Where they had been attacked, traces of fighting were clearly visible. Whole pieces of metal had been ripped out by what seemed to have been a very nasty set of blades. They speeded up.

Only a few steps ahead they suddenly left the towering formations. A uneven plain streched out in front of them.

"There!" Melody spun towards the indicated direction, momentarily rooted to the spot. Ironhide was giving his damnedest to stay out of the range of the biggest bot she had ever seen. Her processor needed a tick to realise what the thing he was attacking with was. **This** clearly had been the end of the structures they had seen. "Oh frag this, of all 'Cons it had to be Berserk…" Bullseye was already aiming. "And I've already used my speciality." She fired. It didn't seem to slow the enemy down.

/You can do it only once?/

"Weapon needs to recharge. Apart from the overheating-problem."

Ironhide barely evaded the the next attack. Blades screeched over metall, grating off his paint job.

/We need to **do** something!/

"I know! It isn't that easy. Once this guy has focused on a target he doesn't let it go. Noticed the lack of tactics? He ain't called Berserk for nothing, full-blown battle rage."

/Then we need to give him a new target./

"Oh no, you're **not**!"

/I am faster than Ironhide./

"And inexperienced! Do you have a death-wish?"

A rock was crashed by a swing that would have cut Ironhide in half had it hit him. Losing energon through several cuts in his plating, he grew slower steadily.

/Try to work something out./ Melody rushed forward, leaving a cursing shooter behind.

Gaining speed she reached the Decepticon, using her momentum to power her stroke. She didn't manage to cut through his plating but left a nice dent. The enemy didn't waver. Her CPU processing on highspeed she changed her angle. Her blade turned upwards, getting into a seam in his shoulder. **That** seemed to get the 'Cons attention. Screeching angrily he targeted her, Ironhide forgotten. Her weapon stuck, she let it go as she jumped back. She felt the air shift as his saws passed her face. Her world reduced to his next attack, his next move, trying to be one step ahead. She spun out of his range, almost dancing to evade his blade. Distinctly she was aware that her team mates were shooting at him. Melody knew they had to hurry. She was slowly losing ground.

She slid backwards, dodging his next swing, as his left arm suddenly changed directions. Melodys shoulder felt like it was on fire. Losing balance on the energon stained ground, she fell, the rocky surface making her impact even harsher. Her sensors deactivated momentarily.

When her processors kicked in again, she wondered why she was still online. Her shoulder hurt like the pit but there seemed to be no further damage. A voice made her jump.

"Slag, 'Hide get over here! She'll drop into stasis with further energon-loss!"

Melodys systems groanded in protest at the sudden movement. Bullseyes worried face-plates came into view. "Don't move, we need to seal this. This is going to hurt." As soon as she had said that a wave of pain shot through her shoulder, crashing several minor processes. As she rebooted them her shoulder grew numb.

"That should do 'til we get you back to the base. Do you think you can transform?" Melody nearly shrugged but remembered her injury in time.

/No idea. I can try./

"Ok, let's get you up then. Lend me a servo, 'Hide."

They heaved her up. She felt them grab when her equilibrium-circuits gave out.

"That's really, really bad." The lack of curses in Ironhides statement only served to underline the seriousness of the situation.

"We have to get help."

Ironhide sighed. "What do you take me for? I commed back already when you patched her up. They have sent a team with a medic but they'll need joors to get here. She's not in immediate danger but…"

"So what do we do?"

/How about we meet them halfway?/

They looked troubled. "Further movement could make it worse."

"What other choice do we have, Ironhide?"

* * *

Ratchet raced at high speed, swearing to Primus that he was going to kill Ironhide if a reckless action of his had caused the trouble he and his team were in. He had done so for the last joors. His guardians, Hound and Trailbreaker, were having problems keeping up.

"How far have we come?"

"About two thirds of the way." The trackers answer sounded slightly strained. Fortunately for him Ironhide had never been to good at covering his tracks. It had allowed them to cover the distance in record time. "Go a bit slower, ok? I'll have a look at the path ahead." The medic did so grumblingly.

Taking over, Hound steered to the middle of the slim track they had followed so far. He took the next turn speeding up. The ground seemed fine, nothing the medic couldn't manage. As far as he could tell, there were no traces other than those of the team who had sent the distress signal. Another, longer, curve. He dashed on, surveying his surroundings carefully. He reached its end.

What appeared in front of him nearly gave him fuel-pump failure. Fortunately his battle-computer took charge of his reflexes. He braked hard, turning sharply and crashed into a wonderful part of their planets environment in mid-transformation. Skidding to a halt, finally in bi-pedal mode, he had the presence of mind to comm his companions. -Ratchet? Slow down! Now!-

-What? Why? We have to reach them as soon as possible!-

-If you don't want to scrap them further I suggest you stop and transform.-

-What the frag…- The medic paused. Then cursed and ended the link.

Hound groaned and straitened his joints. It was going to take ages to get all of the stuff he had just gotten into his seams out of his armour again. Climbing out of the pile of crunching stuff he had landed himself in, he got onto the path again.

"I hope you know that you spooked the spark out of my chamber." His half-hearted scolding stopped apruptly as he took a closer look at the group he had nearly run over. "Oh slag."

The three bots were covered in energon. The one he didn't know looked ready to keel over. He didn't notice Ratchet had arrived until he shoved him out of the way. He started scanning them. After a few breems Bullseye and Ironhide were confirmed healthy enough to make it to the base though he sealed some of the red mechs bigger cuts. He snarled at them. "Go search the territory or something. I'm busy." They joined Hound and Trailbreaker, watching him work on Melody from a distance.

"You look like scrap metal."

Bullseye snorted. "Thanks Hound. You're a charmer." It sounded tired.

"Your energon?" His worry was obvious.

"Mostly hers." The shooters optics dimmed.

"What happened?" She grimaced.

"Berserk happened." Hound winced. Ironhides frame tensed. "Oh, slag it, 'Hide. It wasn't your fault." She narrowed her optics at her team mate.

"I should have protected her. She's a newbie." His fists tightened. "It shouldn't have been the other way 'round."

Hound rose his optic ridges. "Care to explain?"

Bullseye shrugged. "We were separated, our beloved loony was out to get 'Hide. He had him pretty slagged when we made it back to him."

"How come he isn't the one needing Ratchets care then?"  
The sharp shooter sighed softly, shaking her head. "Our newbie decided she was a better target." Hound narrowed his optics, looking over to Ratchet.

"No one would be stupid enough to get in Berserks way."

Ironhide huffed. "Well, she did. Got him pretty mad too. Ya should have seen his face-plates." Hound shivered.

Trailbreaker spoke up. "No, thanks. What did she do? And how did she survive it?"

The weapon specialist crossed his arms. "Shoved her blade up his shoulder seam." His audience cringed. "We were lucky she did. We simply targeted the area 'til he took of. Was close enough. He nearly offlined her."

Silence fell, the only sounds heard were Ratchets tools and his curses.

* * *

Even after Ratchet had finished the most important work Melody hadn't been able to shift into alt-mode. The medic claimed he needed a med bay for further repairs. Though they had called a shuttle as soon as they reached open territory it had still taken joors to get back. After a check-up and a trip to the wash-racks Ironhide was now standing in front of a door, staring at it.

"Are you gonna go in or what?" He jumped. Bullseye snorted. "He'll hear of it anyway. Better you tell him now."

Ironhide nodded and and pressed the button to open the door. Jazz looked up at them. A visor covered his optics. "Hey. You are?"

When Ironhides vocals failed, leaving him speechless, his team mate stepped in. "That's Ironhide and I'm Bullseye. We're Melodys team."

The still bed ridden mech frowned. "Weren't ya on a mission of sorts? Where is Mel'?"

Taking a deep intake, the red mech finally found his vocal emitters. "Yeah, we were… Well, your friend got damaged…" Jazz shot up.

"What? How badly?" Ironhide cringed.

"Pretty bad but she's gonna be ok." Some tension left the silver mechs frame. He fell back onto the berth with a sigh. They fell silent. After a while the visitors turned to leave.  
"Ah can't go on like this… Ah have ta do something." The comment made them pause. Jazz still laid on the berth, the blue shine behind his visor dimmed.

"Do what?" The blue femme narrowed her optics in concern.

* * *

Ratchet washed his hands, fighting the urge to fall into recharge on the spot. He had finished working on Melody and had left her to rest. At a sound behind him he spun.

"Sorry Ratchet, I didn't mean to startle ya." The red mech seemed hesitant.

"What's the matter Ironhide? I'd really like to get to my berth."

"Jazz wants to join." Ratchets shoulders fell.

"Not that surprising. I'll talk to Meridian."

* * *

When she awoke she felt as though she had had too much mid-grade the night before. Her pump seemed ready to go into reverse mode. She sat up and her servos groaned.

"Welcome back among the online."

/Thanks./ She hadn't known that a speaking device was capable of sounding strained. /I feel like slag./

Ratchet snickered. "What you not say. Serves you right. You cost me two days of recharge."

/Really? Was it that bad?/

"Yes. Ironhide told me what happened," He got serious. "What you did was incredibly stupid. You most likely saved his aft but that's beside the point."

/Of course. Note the sarcasm./

He sighed. "You could have died."

Her optics dimmed. /I know. I knew that all along./

"I don't doubt that." He stood next to her, arms akimbo. "I just didn't expect you to have the nerve to pull something like this."

She chuckled soundlessly. /Me neither./

He suddenly seemed hesitant. "You know… Jazz has made a request."

She hung her head. /Can't say I didn't expect that./

"What are you going to do about it?"

/Me? Nothing. He can choose for himself as I have./ He looked surprised.

"I had thought you would try to stop him."

Her shoulders shook in unheard laughter. /I have known him long enough to be sure that nothing can stop him when he tries to protect his sister. Not even me./

Hope it's not too Mary Sue-ish...


	7. Chapter 7

Hear me  
By Shadeless

_Thoughts  
_"Talking"  
/Melody speaking/

* * *

Chapter 7

Cycles had passed since Melody had been declared fit for the battlefield. She had joined her team in a few missions but hadn't gotten into further trouble. Although unscathed, she currently was on her way to the med bay. It was empty when she entered.

/Ratchet?/ A crash sounded out of an ajoining room, followed by a curse. She hurried over. It seemedd to be a storage room. Boxes were pilled high on shelves. One of these had toppled over, burrying a growling medic.

/Sorry./ She helped him out of the box-pile.

Dusting himself off, he surveyed the damage. "Not your fault. I should have gotten a ladder." He turned to look at her. "You don't seem to be damaged."

/I'm fine./

"Why are you here then? I'm still on duty." He seemed puzzled.

/I know. I just wanted to ask… Could you tech me?/

His optics widdened until he felt his seals protesting. "Come again?"

She shuffeled uneasily. /You heard me./

"You want to be a medic?"

/Not exactly. You see… I thought of how we had to call you for help when I was injured. It would be helpful if there were more bots with at least basical knowledge, right?/

He narrowed his optics thoughtfully. "Yes, it would. The problem is that there aren't many bots who have the patience to learn everything required and there aren't many teachers these times. The ones employed by the Autobots mostly don't have the time to teach numerous students properly and those Autobots willing to learn can't go to the neutral academies. The Decepticons would start to target them."

/I see./ She chewed her derma plate. /Is there a way of me learning of data pads or such?/

"You'd need at least a part-time teacher." Her shoulders dropped in defeat.

/Sorry for bothering you then./

Turning to leave she was halted by a hand on her arm. His optics shone. "I didn't say 'no'."

* * *

Ironhide looked up at them uneasily. "I really don't like this."

Ratchet silenced him harshly. "Your own fault for being the first to get your aft slagged after Sentinel approved Melodys request." The red mech looked pleadingly at the femme.

/Sorry 'Hide but you're not getting out of this one./ He grimaced.

After they had told Meridian about Melodys wish he had taken them to the Prime to discuss it. Proving that Ratchets schedule wasn't to full for teaching her, they had been allowed to start. Since then she had been busy learning. She hadn't even taken time to get a full paint-job. The Autobot insignia was nearly the only color on her otherwise only patchy golden body.

Ratchet had just given her her first lesson in medical care. Sentinel had approved of the damaged bots being used to teach her, as long as there was no real emergency. Since he had done that, the number of Autobots injured by stunts and the like had miraculously decreased. When Ironhide had gotten into a fight with a wall this morning (he still refused to explain how he had managed that) he had been dragged into the bay by a cheerful Bullseye, who had been sent out (much to her disappointment) when Melody arrived.

Ratchet had cast one look at the repaired patient and declared that it was high time to give his student a lesson about the Cybertronian physique. Ironhides impression had been priceless.

Ratchet was currently detaching the red mech of his front plating. He set it aside.

"Ok, do you see this?," he indicated a reinforced chamber, "That is where his spark chamber and laser core are located. We'll get to that later." Ironhides face-plates held a look of pure horror. Ratchet didn't spare him a glance. "And that," he pointed at a thick cylinder, "is his main fuel pump. The smaler cylinder next to it is the main lubricant pump. As you'll have guessed, the lines attached to them are the main fluid lines."

Ironhide spoke up. "This is really humiliating guys."

Ratchet gave him a level stare. "Lay still and it will be over soon." He turned back to the mechs chest. "Where was I? Ah, right. The small cylinders here and here," he pointed towards Ironhides sides, "are the minor pumps. They are mostly used for upholding pressure in all lines. There are some located in his arms and legs as well. And this panel," he indicated towards Ironhides abdomen, "is, unsurprisingly, his codepiece, but normally it doesn't concern a medic…"

Ironhide groaned. "I'm just going to die now."

* * *

Ratchet had decided, as they finally had a patient, she needed to know which tool was to be used for what. So they had spent the last orns, scattering every possible device over the nearest repair table, the medic explaining their use with underlining gestures and indicating the area they should be used upon. Ironhide had left the med bay with an expression on his face-plates that had Bullseye running for the security room for copies.

When they had finished putting away the tools, Melody excused herself and left.

Outside Jazz was leaning against a wall. "I almost thought ya weren't going to come out at all sis'."

She smiled. /Sorry. I didn't expect you to be waiting for me./

"Nah, there was nothing ta do anyway." They started walking towards the rec room together.

/Weren't you going to get your assignment today?/ He grinned.

"Jup. Guess what they want me ta do."

She rolled her optics. /How am I supposed to know?/

"Just guess." She could have sworn his optics gleamed mishievously behind his visor.

Tapping her chin she started to ponder. /Frontline fighter would be too easy. You can't fly so that's out of question... Come on give me a hint./

"It's special." His grin intensivied.

/I've figured that much... Special Ops? You're kidding me./

He laughed. "No 'm not."

She shook her head smilingly. /All the pranks paid off, huh?/


	8. Chapter 8

Hear me  
By Shadeless

_Thoughts  
_"Talking"  
/Melody speaking/

* * *

Chapter 8

The cycles seemed to fly by. Without major battles it was easy to get accustomed to the base and its inhabitants. Melody was busy training as well with her team mates as Ratchet. Jazz was often out now, sneaking off to Primus knew where but such was the life of a special operations member. She and Ironhide had just finished their training, leaving the weapons in the weapon storage, and were heading towards the rec. room for a refuelling.

Settling at their favourite table, the one where she had first met him and Bullseye at, he summed up the points she still had to concentrate on.

"...and you need to watch ya guard when ya swing ya blade upwards, ya always end up leaving your abdomen open for attack..."

She nodded to his words, a movement in familiar blue catching her attention. Bullsey was approaching them. Ironhide noticed she wasn't looking at him and turned to the newcomer.

"Hey, guys, red alert all over the base." The red bot immediately tensed when he sensed her seriousness.

"All soldiers are to get ready for fight. It seems the 'Cons are trying something over at Toshka-Niri."

He narrowed his optics. "That's gonna be bad. It allways is."

Melody frowned. /Toshka-Niri?/

The blue femme pressed her derma plates together and Ironhide faced her to answer. "Before the war, there were two cities located near each other, Toshka and Niri. They grew so big that they became one."

Bullseye took over. "When the war started, they stayed neutral. It was to be expected, as they had traiding routes to most big cities and therefor profited of Autobots as well as of Decepticons and Neutrals."

Melody frowned. /What happened?/

Ironhides intakes huffed. "The 'Cons mede an example of them, that's what happened. No idea what kind of weapon they tested there, but it didn't go well. I've heard it shook the city like an earthquake."

Bullseyes optics dimmed. "Not quite."

He looked up, surprised. "You where there?"

She nodded. "I was on a shuttle. We had just left, cargo transport." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "He said something was wrong with the wind, that he got weird readings. I told him to turn. I didn't want to be out in the open if something was wrong with the weather. It wasn't the weather, though." She paused. "We were about to fly back, when it happened. It hit the city like a fist, right in the center. Ironically, the buildings in the middle were damaged the least." Her laugh was bitter. "The shock moved throughout the area, getting worse the farer it got. On the outskirts the ground was thrown up in waves. Not one of the buildings there is still standing. We were lucky. It seems that it only worked on the ground. When it was over we took one look at what used to be our home and were off to the Autobots."

Melodys spark had grown cold. She took in the sight off the normally aloof sharp shooter. She was trembling with anger and pain. Ironhide had lowered his optics to the desk. After a while he spoke silently. "It didn't end there. Some of the inhabitants survived, but the city had changed. It was never rebuilt as it is located directly between Iacon, our headquater, and Decepticon territory. It became what most bots call the slums. The battles in Toshka-Niri are the worst because you never know whether you'll only fight 'Cons, or if one of the gangs there decide that they want to do Megatron a favour. On the upside the Decepticons have never made it one of their bases." Silence fell. Finally Ironhide got up. "Let's get going."

* * *

She was in her room. She heard the door but didn't turn.

/I am ready./

* * *

The city was a shadow in front of them. Above the sky was turning black. The Autobots had scattered at the edges of the city in search of the enemy. The storm would break soon.

She regretted that she hadn't been able to say goodbye to Jazz but he was nowhere to be found. Tense to the spark, she waited for Ironhide to give the command to move on.

* * *

-Flashback-

Morana, the Autobots tactician, was instructing the troops. "I have been informed that the Decepticons have been using the outskirts of Toshka-Niri to hide weapons and soldiers near Autobot territory. We need to stop that. Our teams are going to enter the city from different angles," she indicated towards the map behind her, "and attack the locations of which are prooven to be used by the Decepticons. Enter, defeat the enemy and try to gather as much information about what they were doing there as you can. Any questions?"

-End Flashback –

* * *

They were approaching the area they had been assigned to. It was a complex of near-colapsed buildings, most of them about three stories high. Ironhide waved them forward. They crept through the shadows, stopping with their backs pressed against the wall next to the only entry in sight. Their leader nodded for Bullseye to cover their backs. With a last look at their surroundings he turned, aiming his gun at the door. It was blown inwards with the first shot. Using the smoke as a cover, he rushed into the building, searching for an enemy. Melody was at his heels.

The room they entered was huge and empty. What had seemed like separate houses on the outside turned out to be a single gargantoum building. Steel supporters were placed every few steps to keep it stable. Ironhide guestured for his companions to separate and inspect what they had found. He went right, while Bullseye took off to the right.

Melody went to the middle, listening for incoming comm messages off her comrades, while she searched the floor and beams for traces of what this hall had been used for. After a while her comm clicked. "I'm going back. Left side is clear."

"Right either." Melody bent down to have a look at a puddle on the floor. She traced a finger through it. Oil. Looking up, she decided she had to be approximately in the middle od the hall. "Melody? What about you?" Ironhides voice sounded pressed. "I've a bad feeling about this."

She turned on her comm. /Here is oil on the floor. Seems they built something but it's gone./

"Ya sure?" She narrowed her optics, sharpening her sensors further. A soft clicking registered in her audios. Behind her. "Melody?" She didn't turn. Staying in her kneeling position she seemed to concentrate fully on the puddle. A soft hissing.

She took off. Using the momentum to catapult her forwards, she grabbed the nearest pole and swung around, readying her sword with the other. With a crack a blade conected to the concrete she had been kneeling upon moments ago.

Taking fighting stance, she faced her opponent. The massive heap of black metal freed his weapon, red optics locking on his pray. "Fast..." He chuckled darkly. "But not fast enough..." He charged. Throwing herself back, she barely evaded his attack. Not being able to get out of range, she countered the next swing with her own weapon, her servos vibrating with the force of the impact. She duelled with him, each stroke she had to counter weakening her own. Then she found it. Her concentration nearly cost her her life. He freed his blade and aimed it at her chest. She dodged sideways, the tip of his sword kissing her plating. He used her momentary defencelessness to deliver a kick to one of her feet. She stumbled, barely jumping back when he attacked her again. Their fight took them further into the building.

"Give up, Autoscum. You can't defeat me and your friends are nowhere near to help." His blade missed her and cut through a pole without slowing down. She stopped, her intakes heaving. He snickered. "Decided to face the inevitable?" Every servo in her body was strained to breaking point. When he came at her again, she catapulted forward. She ducked under his sword, her own aiming at his throat. He tried to pull back but didn't manage to slow his rush. His blade swung down. Sharp pain erupted from her left leg but she managed to stay steady. Her sword cut through his plating, nearly taking off his head. His body took her down with him.

Lying beneath the massive weight, intakes straining for air, she became aware off her surroundings again. Her optics widened.

Ironhides voice rang through her comm. "Melody?!" It hit her that only breems had gone by since he had asked for her report.

She tried to find her communicative programming. /Get out off here! Now!/

"What's wrong?" She heaved the dead Decepticon of herself, optics fixated on the beam in front of her.

/Ironhide, contact the other groups. This place was built to be blown up. It was a trap./

"What?!" She tried to get up, but her left leg buckled. Looking down, she saw that it was nearly taken off in the middle off her calf. She took a deep intake.

/There's a bomb in the middle./ The comm line crackled with silence.

"Ok, I'm at the comm-lines, we're getting out." He sounded so sincere. She sheathed her blade and started to limb to the nearest wall. After a while he contacted her again. "The others are retreating. All of them stumbled into empty buildings but we were the first ones to report a bomb. Seems we were lucky." She didn't answer. "Melody?"

Reaching the wall she used it as support, moving further away from the middle of the hall. /I'm not coming 'Hide./

"What?!"

Her intakes were heaving, each step a spike of pain in her processor. /Had a fight.../

This time Bullseyes concerned voice souned through the comm line. "What do you mean?"

She had reached the far wall. Pressing into the corner, she braced herself. /Leg damaged./

The sharp shooter hissed. "Wait a breem, we'll get you out."

**/No**./

"What?!"

/They knew we were coming. I don't know much about bombs but that one looked like it had a timer./

The blue femme seemed to be speechless. Ironhide took over. "Mel'..."

/Tell Jazz I'm sorry./ She closed the comm line.

* * *

"Melody!" Ironhide swore. "She shut me out!" Beside him Bullseyes optics were nearly black. "We need to get her."

"Ironhide..." The sharp shooters voice was low.

The red mech eyed his partner sharply. "We are not leaving her behind!"

Locking optics with him, she pressed her lips to a thin line. Finally she spoke. "She knows what she's talking about. I've seen her hanging with Wheeljack at times, you know how he is. Always talking about his inventions and stuff. He knows a lot about bombs."

His shoulders slumped. "We can't just..." A bang rattled their audios. The ground started to shake as the building collapsed. She grabbed his hand and pulled him along as pieces of concrete crashed down around them.

* * *

When they reached the HQ, they pressed through the crowd of incoming soldiers, towards the tactican in the eye of the storm. She turned to greet them. "Ironhide, Bullseye. Good work. We could have lost many."

They ignored the compliment. "We need a rescue team. Now."

Morana frowned. "What are you talking about?"

It took all of Ironhdes restraint not to take the tactician and shake her. "Our team mate was in that building."

"Ironhide..."

"Don't give me that! If she's still alive we need to find her!..." He was cut short by a deep voice.

"That's the problem, Ironhide."

The red mech turned, his voice barely hearable. "Sentinel Prime..."

The leader looked at them sympathetically. "Our fliers have already scanned the area. There were no signs of an online bot." Ironhide seemed to crumble. The leader looked at the femme next to him, who was standing shakingly. "Take him to Ratchet, would you?"

She nodded sharply and left, taking her companion with her.

Watching their retreating backs, Morana turned to Sentinel, using a private, highly encrypted comm line, meant for contacting her leader in battle. -We have sent out no fliers.-

He looked at her. -No, we have not.-

She paused. -I see.-

* * *

Jazz entered the med bay covered in dirt. It took him several breems to notice the heavy silence. He was the center of attention. Looking around confusedly, he strolled towards Ratchet, who was fixing Ironhide.

"Something wrong with me I should know about? Oil on my face plates or what?"

Ratchet halted in his movements, only to continue with more force than needed when Bullseye replied without looking at the silver mech. "Jazz…"

He frowned. "What's up?" When they didn't react to his question, he shrugged. Searching the med bay, he tried again. "Where's Mel?" The blue femme tensed. Ratchet froze again. "Gotta congratulate her. I heard she was the one finding whatever compelled our tactician to order retreat. I also heard we were pretty close to being scrapped." The medic closed Ironhides plating with a clang. Wordlessly he spun around, throwing the tool he had used into a box on the floor. He glared at Jazz. "She's gone."

"What? So she went to get some recharge already? Can't blame her." The Special Ops soldier was cut short.

"No." Ratchets glare intensivied. Then he took off, storming past Jazz, who stared at him.

"Woah, what snuck up his tail-pipe?" Again getting no reply, he turned to the remaining two bots. "OK, what's going on here?"

For the first time since he entered the bay, Bullseye looked at him. Ironhide was still lying on the repair table, optics fixated on the ceiling. "Jazz, Melody…"

"'S this about her? What did she do?" He asked confusedly.

The shooters optics dropped again. "The reason we retreated… She…"

"She didn't make it." The femme jumped as Ironhides voice stopped her stammering. Ironhide heaved himself up. His optics didn't seem to see them. "She's dead, Jazz." Finally he locked his visual sensors on the other mech.

He felt numb. His glossa seemed to glitch. After a few failed attempts to speak he managed a whisper. "Did you see? Did they find her?"

Ironhide hung his head and shook it. "They checked the area."

Jazz sat heavily on the table, hands clenching around the edges. None of them spoke.


	9. Chapter 9

Hear me  
By Shadeless

_Thoughts  
_"Talking"  
°Writing°

* * *

Chapter 9

Clouds hid the sky and dimmed the light that filtered through the large glass panels taking up most of the rooms far wall. The speech had just ended. Most bots were leaving the area, fleeing the air of seriousness and surreality. At last only a few remained. After hesitating briefly, they left, until one stood alone.

Moving slowly, he stepped in front of the newest plate on the wall.

°Melody. Beloved sister.°

He didn't know how long he had been standing there, when he finally became aware of the darkness falling outside. He barely remembered what the Prime had said to honor the only comrade they had lost in the last battle. He traced his fingers over the carving. His spark ached in his chest. He could cry no more. Since he had been told, he had grieved, but somehow the plate held a finality he hadn't been aware off. She was gone. "Sister…" His voice sounded rough and worn.

Absorbing the sight of all that was left of his last relative, his last link to a past he was almost convinced was a dream… It all seemed so far away. He could feel rage gnawing at his spark. His frame shook as he baled his hands to fists. His optics flared.

When the last light of the day fled the room, the tension left the lone mech. _She wouldn't want me to avenge her._

Taking a deep intake, he turned. I love you, my sister. _I'll try to be happy, for you. _

_Goodbye Melody._

And he left, without looking back, leaving his past behind.

* * *

Don't kill me... yet.  
Continued in Choice


End file.
